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Reward Offered following Double Traffic Fatality and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Reward Offered following Double Traffic Fatality and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

Shortly before 1:30 am, on Wednesday, April 19, 2006, three females and one male, occupying a 1995 Chevrolet Berretta, drove into the 2300 block of Pitts Place, SE. Two of the females entered an apartment building complex located at 2344 Pitts Place, SE, and then left to return to the car. While in the courtyard area it appears the two females became involved in an altercation with men and women in the area. During the altercation the male driver of the Berretta exited the vehicle and became involved in the altercation. Also during the altercation someone reportedly attempted to stab the remaining female seated in the vehicle. She was unharmed and fled the area on foot. It was also at this time that a gunshot was fired but it is unknown if anyone was struck. The two females originally confronted entered the Chevrolet and apparently sped off at a high rate of speed. The male involved in the altercation fled on foot.

The vehicle continued south on Martin Luther King, Jr., Avenue, SE. It appears that the driver lost control of the car at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr., Avenue and Lebaum Street, SE, before striking a telephone pole. DC Fire Department emergency medical personnel responded to the scene but found no signs consistent with life. Both victims were taken to the Office of the DC Medical Examiner and pronounced dead. They are identified as 20-year-old Shareese Bowen, of the 4200 block of Duke Street in Alexandria, Virginia, who was operating the vehicle at the time of the crash, and 18-year-old Courtlandt Stasiewicz, of the unit block of Pheonix Mill Place in Alexandria, Virginia. The names of the male and other female that were in the vehicle earlier but fled on foot from Pitts Place are being withheld because they are considered witnesses in this case.

The case is currently under investigation by members of the department's Major Crash Unit and Seventh District detectives. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099.

Update, 4/20/06:The investigation into the assaults on Pitts Place, SE, is now being investigated my members of the MPDC's Violent Crimes Branch. A reward of up to $10,000 is now being offered to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responible for the assaults. The traffic fatalities remains under investigation by members of the department's Major Crash Unit.

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